She didn’t ask for belief. No ghostly whispers, no eerie lights, just a quiet room, flickering candlelight, and the tantalising idea that those we’ve lost might be closer than we think (spoiler: they’re definitely not in the fridge).
The Departed is a storytelling mentalism performance set in the rather dreary Victorian England, drawing inspiration from those spiritualist fads and the concept of the Summerland – a dreamy little realm where the dearly departed hang out, waiting for a round of tea.
As the show unfolds, a bunch of vintage cabinet photographs makes its grand entrance – each one a nod to a life remembered, and a person missed (probably still fuming about the last Christmas dinner). These cards are shuffled about by both you and your participant – no funny business here.
Next, the participant is invited to pick a single word from a list of twelve – something personal, something that could make them blush if spoken aloud. They’ll need to remember both the word and its corresponding number. No shouting it out like it’s bingo night, mind you.
With a handful of cabinet cards laid out on the table, we start establishing a connection to the Summerland (not an actual summer holiday).
Without questions. Without fishing. Without guessing. And absolutely nothing written down (we’re not in a school exam).
Then, with a flourish, you reveal the exact word the participant was quietly pondering – as if a ghostly hand gave you a nudge (or it could just be your amazing skills, who knows?).
And then, the plot thickens.
A séance journal from November 1890 is unveiled, detailing the mysterious arrival of a cabinet photograph – a boy who showed up uninvited, never uttered a word, and likely left the party early. As the journal is read, its descriptions start to align disturbingly well with one of the photographs on display. Creepy, right?
The participant is asked for the number they remembered. The performer counts down through the photographs like a well-rehearsed game show host. The final card is flipped over. A name is revealed. William. At the exact spot that corresponds with the number the participant had in mind (no psychic powers needed, just your usual wizardry).
WHAT'S INCLUDED
Packaged in a charmingly aged box, The Departed comes with everything you need to pull off this masterpiece:
26 replica cabinet photographs, crafted from actual antique originals (don’t worry, they’re not haunted)
An aged glassine envelope to keep the photos safe and sound
Clara Wren's séance journal entry, crafted to look like it’s seen a few lifetimes
A small cabinet photograph of Miss Clara Wren herself (bet she had a lovely smile)
A downloadable audio revelation, in case you fancy a change from the written reveal
Every element feels like it’s been handled with care, personal touches, and a dash of authenticity – nothing shiny and flashy for the sake of it (that’s just tacky).
